Which Sea Ingredients Are Best For Your Skin and Why

I have always been inspired by the sea. I was lucky enough to grow up in Southern California in a beautiful little beach town called Palos Verdes where the ocean was quite literally my backyard. The ocean has helped me find peace of mind over the years, and I’ve always been in awe of it’s inimitable healing powers. Not only does it aid in relaxation, peacefulness and mental clarity–it’s the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth.

I also find it fascinating that tides’ ebb and flow is controlled by the gravitational forces of the celestial Mother moon. If you’re like me and you subscribe to the spirituality of energy, then is there really anything more spiritual and sacred than the sea? Think about it. The ocean is also always in motion, always moving and pushing forward, forceful and serene at the same time. It’s a nice reminder to always keep powering through in life, no matter how tough, because it’s always peaceful after even the biggest storms.

Besides helping me find peace of mind and clarity, the ocean also holds beautiful benefits for our skin. Multicellular algae has been alive and living on this Earth for over 2 billion years. Those of you who know me personally probably know I’m a bit of a science nerd, particularly biology, so here’s a quick Bio AP lesson for you (if you’re not interested and only want to read about skincare, scroll down to the next paragraph.) The first, most simplest life forms on Earth were prokaryotes—organisms, like bacteria and some forms of algae, that don’t have a nucleus. A great example of a prokaryote is our beloved blue green algae, better known as Spiruilina which you probably consume in your smoothies and slather on your face in face masks. Algae has not only survived the test of time, we are continually discovering new types of algae–even different phyla and classes, which is wild! It’s estimated that there are over 37,000 species of true algae in the world and over 4,000 cyanobacteria and it’s estimated that we still have about 30,000 different types to discover. There’s definitely props to be given to a life category that has been able to adapt, evolve and survive for that many years.

So where am I going with all of this? If you can’t tell, I’m quite passionate about the sea and all of the benefits it has to offer so appropriately, I have been developing a skincare line called MARA–sign up HERE to be in the know with our launch– that puts these high performing ingredients to good use. But as I’ve been slowly telling my friends about my line, I’ve noticed that everyone is excited by algae and oceanic ingredients, but they don’t know exactly what they do–so today I’m breaking down different types of algae that you find in skincare products and what they do. I hope you enjoy!

Seaweeds: These are the plant-like organisms that would give your ankle a hug as a kid when you were playing in the waves and you’d freak the f*ck out. Seaweed are multicellular marine algae and are usually attached to hard rocks and come in a variety of colors ranging from deep brown to green and even red and they are categorized as such: red algae, brown algae and green algae. This is obviously the most recognizable category and each sub category comes with it’s own benefits.

Brown algae contains high levels of iodine and fibre, and it is a good source of Vitamin C and E. Brown algae is fantastic for anti-aging, as they’re high in omegas 3, 6, & 9 and help improve skin tone, texture, firmness and elasticity.

Green Algae contains large amounts of vitamin C and magnesium. Green algae is amazing for moisture and waking up the skin, making it look awake and refreshed.

Red Algae contains high quantities of sulfated polysaccharides, peptides, carotenoids, and fatty acids. Red algae has also been linked to helping psoriasis, eczema and herpes.

Phytoplankton: Phytoplankton are the drifting, microscopic organisms that form the foundation of the ocean’s food chain. They are mostly microscopic algae and cyanobacteria that capture energy from the sun. Phytoplankton contain powerful antioxidants and provide intense hydration and also help strengthen the skin’s barrier function. Just as phytoplankton form the building blocks of the ocean’s food web, they help repair and rebuild the foundation of our skin, our cells! I love micro algae!

Blue-Green Algae: This is in fact not an algae but a bacteria, cyanobacteria. This type of algae contains many B vitamins, along with amino acids, polyunsaturated fats, calcium and protein. Spirulina is high in phytonutrients and carotenoids which are important antioxidants that can help defend your skin and body from free radicals, while increasing the skin’s metabolism. And because they neutralize free radicals and other toxins, they’re great for anti-aging.

I’m so excited to share my line with you! Definitely follow@themarabeauty on Instagram so you can keep up-to-date with our line and our new products. And let me know if you want to see more stories like these. xx